A member alerted us to a possible new misuse of registrant data to falsify identity and obtain opioids or other identity theft.
He wrote, “Hello. I’m on the registry in Florida, Leon county. Today a cop showed up at more door. I thought it was a registry check. I went to get my license. My wife was here as well. The cop said he had to read me my rights and ask me questions about prescription drug fraud. I said ok but was dry wary and nervous. He asked if I had a prescription for codeine. I said no. As he was talking 2 other cops showed up. Very intimidating. He asked if my doctor was a name I can’t remember now especially since he mumbled it, but it wasn’t my doctors name at all. He asked if I know why someone might use my name. I said I’m on the registry that’s probably why. One of the other cops suggested that I check my credit report. This was all very scary. Could you please publish something about this in your blog which I read. Maybe you or some of the other registrants have some information.”
If you’ve been the victim of identity theft and suspect it’s related to having your biographical information published online or had something similar happen, please share it here.
I want to bring to your attention that my friend on the registry was left a voicemail by a Sargent Jones claiming to be with the Citrus County Sheriffs department. The phone number that displayed on caller I’d was the non-emergency phone number of the Sheriff’s office. This “Sargent Jones” said it was imperative that he was called back and left his number.
My friend called the Sheriff’s department and spoke with the officer who answered. He asked the officer to confirm that a Sargent Jones at the phone number he left did work for them. He does not and the phone number that was left was not a legitimate number.
Because of FAC, we were aware of the potential for scams! Thank you for all you do
Glad our warnings help!
This doesnt really surprise me. Just yesterday we got an email from someone doing a study of SORNA ; when I questioned where they got the email address from they said it was from a public records request.
The survey was from Soutwestern College, and the question where skewed to seeing if the registry kept people from reoffending, and did not acknowledge that not everyone on the list is an actual offender.
Just another thing to add to the list. Our government should not be allowed to make us vulnerable to identity theft. Do we have no rights at all as Americans?
We’re looking at the leaving the country. I understand there are other countries that laugh at our laws.
A disturbed neighbor listed his wifi as,
“Bruce M. Is a Pedo.
Another neighbor told me about it.
Please add this to https://floridaactioncommittee.org/why-is-the-registry-punishment/
This is horrible.
“The cop said he had to read me my rights and ask me questions about prescription drug fraud.” That’s your clue to shut up.
That happened to me too, albeit no police officers showed up at my door. I recieved notice from my state’s child support division in NY that my paychecks from a construction company in Colorado were being garnished. I’ve never been to Colorado. The address was also automatically added to list of my addresses in the registry but taken off after a few months.
When I went to the Marion County sheriff’s department in April for check in I noticed they have a screen facing the waiting Room and on that screen has all your personal information. The social security number is in plain view of anybody that’s close enough to see the screen. I mentioned that to the deputy, and he said they would look into it. When I went back in October to check in again the screen hadn’t been changed. I think this is a potential for something badd to happen to somebody.
It might also be illegal. Pretty sure they cannot disclose your social security number to others.
Contact the Florida State Attorney’s office and complain about the practice. http://www.myfloridalegal.com/
Was just there last Friday. Screen is still the same!! Also I’m expecting a visit from Marion County Sheriff’s office cause we got into a HUGE argument about what they’re asking for. I went to “Update /Add” a vehicle to my HIT LIST, And the little (punk) guy behind the glass gave me a really hard time (like always). I gave him the Vehicle info and he wouldn’t add it because the tag came up as previously being on another vehicle. I told him I changed vehicles. But he INSISTED that I remove the OLD vehicle from my list, And I STILL OWN THAT VEHICLE!! And I got pretty loud with him after about 5 minutes of him being a jerk!! He asked why I was “Mad” and I told him that BECAUSE ALL OF THIS IS ILLEGAL, And here’s his reply….. Well what you did to you’re victim was ILLEGAL TOO!!, Well that really pizzed me off!! And I let him know it!! So I DEMANDED a Supervisor IMMEDIATELY and 4 Deputies came running in!! So, Needless to say I told the Supervisor what happened and that this kid shouldn’t make comments of ANY KIND if he’s representing the MCSO!! And I told them I’ll be informing my lawyer about it! So, I’m looking for a visit (Audit) to check that my “Hit List” matches all the vehicles on my property!! And I do Repair work, So wondering how that is gonna play out with the few cars that I’m working on that is “On My Property”!?!?!?. Marion County Sheriff’s really is a NASTY Agency (the road deputies have been great) but the people that run the “SEX OFFENDER AND PREDATOR UNIT (the actual name In BOLD letters outside) are nasty people!! And they make it clear that we are SCUM!! And, They are Closed Wednesday, Sat and Sun and close at 4pm daily!! I thought the LAW required them to be 24/7 since we’re REQUIRED BY LAW to report changes within 48 hours!?!?!?. How is this legal???. Sorry for the long rant!!
‘Tired of Being Mistreated’
As you see, along with all ‘Persons Forced to Register’, this whole ‘THING’ has created NUMEROUS CONUNDRUMS!
So What I did 26 days after Release of spending 26.5 months in Fla State Prison for an ILLEGAL VOP issued by the probation officer (who has violated(vops) 249 of us to date), I left the Mainland so as to only have a few CONUNDRUMS to deal with…BTW, we need good car mechanics here on the Island….If you are that, there are JOBS here waiting for you!
What island is this ?
Those vehicles have to be registered if on your property more than 3 days even if you don’t own them. They offer 4 months in jail for this or goto trial. If I’m wrong someone correct me.
You are wrong. it’s 5 days. 3 or more days applies to “temporary, transient or permanent residence” you must report. Vehicles from others is 5 days. Your own vehicles, rented, owned, cohabitant, etc. is 48 hours.
As far as plea offers that is up to the prosecutor. There is a minimum mandatory sentence of six months probation on GPS, but that’s the minimum. Maximum is 5 years in prison.
I’ve wondered … what if you rent a car for one day only? Do you need to go to the sheriff after returning the car and report that you rented it – providing tag, VIN, etc. data to them?
Yes, according to the statute you do.
If you rent a vehicle for an hour, then within 48 hours you must: (1) register the vehicle, and (2) de-register the same vehicle, possibly in the same visit, amirite FAC.
Now what constitutes a “vehicle” makes my head spin, but which of these, if any, would apply to jet ski?:
https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2018/320.01
Correct, on the registration and de-registration.
You might just be right about the jet ski. I’m going to remove that comment until it’s clarified.
I know boats are registered, but in referencing the statutes, aside from a houseboat, I’m not sure why that would be registered!!!
From what i was told VCSO and posted at the window: boats NOT registered unless they are lived on but the TRAILER needs to be registered
It’s so inconsistently applied. More vagueness to add to the pile. Statute 943.0435 refers you to 775.21 which, in turn, refers you to 320.01, which defines “Motor Vehicle” and then goes through a list of “trailers” used for living, so it’s unclear whether a boat trailer SHOULD apply (not whether one county requires it and another doesn’t). Here’s the definition, which seems to imply it must be a propelled vehicle (ie: with a motor).
“Motor vehicle” means:
(a) An automobile, motorcycle, truck, trailer, semitrailer, truck tractor and semitrailer combination, or any other vehicle operated on the roads of this state, used to transport persons or property, and propelled by power other than muscular power, but the term does not include traction engines, road rollers, motorized scooters, micromobility devices, personal delivery devices and mobile carriers as defined in s. 316.003, special mobile equipment as defined in s. 316.003, vehicles that run only upon a track, bicycles, electric bicycles, swamp buggies, or mopeds.
(b) A recreational vehicle-type unit primarily designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use, which either has its own motive power or is mounted on or drawn by another vehicle. Recreational vehicle-type units, when traveling on the public roadways of this state, must comply with the length and width provisions of s. 316.515, as that section may hereafter be amended. As defined below, the basic entities are:
1. The “travel trailer,” which is a vehicular portable unit, mounted on wheels, of such a size or weight as not to require special highway movement permits when drawn by a motorized vehicle. It is primarily designed and constructed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use. It has a body width of no more than 81/2 feet and an overall body length of no more than 40 feet when factory-equipped for the road.
2. The “camping trailer,” which is a vehicular portable unit mounted on wheels and constructed with collapsible partial sidewalls which fold for towing by another vehicle and unfold at the campsite to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use.
3. The “truck camper,” which is a truck equipped with a portable unit designed to be loaded onto, or affixed to, the bed or chassis of the truck and constructed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use.
4. The “motor home,” which is a vehicular unit which does not exceed the length, height, and width limitations provided in s. 316.515, is a self-propelled motor vehicle, and is primarily designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use.
5. The “private motor coach,” which is a vehicular unit which does not exceed the length, width, and height limitations provided in s. 316.515(9), is built on a self-propelled bus type chassis having no fewer than three load-bearing axles, and is primarily designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use.
6. The “van conversion,” which is a vehicular unit which does not exceed the length and width limitations provided in s. 316.515, is built on a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis, and is designed for recreation, camping, and travel use.
7. The “park trailer,” which is a transportable unit which has a body width not exceeding 14 feet and which is built on a single chassis and is designed to provide seasonal or temporary living quarters when connected to utilities necessary for operation of installed fixtures and appliances. The total area of the unit in a setup mode, when measured from the exterior surface of the exterior stud walls at the level of maximum dimensions, not including any bay window, does not exceed 400 square feet when constructed to ANSI A-119.5 standards, and 500 square feet when constructed to United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Standards. The length of a park trailer means the distance from the exterior of the front of the body (nearest to the drawbar and coupling mechanism) to the exterior of the rear of the body (at the opposite end of the body), including any protrusions.
8. The “fifth-wheel trailer,” which is a vehicular unit mounted on wheels, designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use, of such size or weight as not to require a special highway movement permit, of gross trailer area not to exceed 400 square feet in the setup mode, and designed to be towed by a motorized vehicle that contains a towing mechanism that is mounted above or forward of the tow vehicle’s rear axle.
Any boats must be registered. Just ask St John’s County sheriffs office, they’ll tell you.
I do a lot of traveling for work and I usually rent a car on Friday afternoon and return it Sunday. The first time I rented one, I went on the following Monday to register it and I was told since I already returned it, I do not need to register it. This was year ago and I have rented numerous cars since then. It scares me to think that they were wrong and they won’t admit the information they gave me if I was to be arrested for this. If they were supposed to register and de-register it, they didn’t want to do it and sent me on my way. I believe in CYA so I am going to ask the detective that checks on me about this.